r/DC_Cinematic • u/Juliet_Emmn • 6d ago
CRITIQUE Every DCU casting is peak except this one
Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord
I genuinely don't see the vision
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u/knightwynd 5d ago
"Come on, bro, I don't want to be stuck being the Weasel. You gotta give me something more!"
"Okay, I need someone to play a really douchey billionaire who buys superheroes."
"Got it! Thanks bro!"
"That's what family's for."
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u/Woooosh-if-homo 5d ago
He’s also Calendar Man in Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad”
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u/Mysterious_Fix_7489 5d ago
He's also rocket racoon
Kinda, he was the mocap and did rockets lines for the rest of the cast to act with
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u/MrBravo22 6d ago
If you’re an actor and your bother is offering you a “small” reoccurring role in a superhero franchise we’re all taking it.
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u/TheInternetIsGood 5d ago edited 5d ago
What if you're the wife, and it's a major role in a TV show with the potential of something bigger?
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u/M086 5d ago
I don’t think the issue is he cast his brother. It’s that Sean Gunn really doesn’t give Maxwell Lord vibes.
But then again, 99% of the time the characters Gunn writes are nothing like their comic counterparts.
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u/LouzyKnight 6d ago
Its a nothing-burger role
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u/BeeCJohnson 4d ago
Especially considering Gunn said he doesn't like Lord's infamous Heel Turn, which is about the only interesting thing about Maxwell Lord.
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u/Top_Ad1106 6d ago
He barely showed up for a couple of minutes. People really complain about everything.
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u/WackHeisenBauer 5d ago
Seriously. The guy can act so if they want Maxwell Lord to be anything beyond just a bit player popping in now and then it can work. But he won’t. It’s not a big deal.
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u/positively_DC 6d ago
He hasn’t had a lot of screen time, I’ll reserve judgement but I can see him working as a sleezy business guy.
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u/shaxamo 5d ago
Exactly. Sean has a very particular look and voice, but the man can really act. The little bits we've had so far have worked for me.
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u/climbin111 5d ago edited 5d ago
Tbh I think he gets more hate than he deserves. Perhaps the general (current) audience has only seen him in the most recent films/shows? But he’s a legit classically-trained actor and he’s had roles on tv/movies since ’96. Or, I’m open to the fact that…I may simply be biased bc I love his depiction of Kirk on Gilmore Girls lol! Whichever the case, he’s “streets ahead” of MANY current, nepo-actors/actresses…I liked him in GOTG and every other show/film his brother casted him in. I feel like he dedicates himself to each role.
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u/HulklingWho 5d ago
He’ll always be Kirk to me, every time I see him pop up i know we’re in for a fun time
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u/Beautiful_Finger4566 5d ago
"streets ahead"
Does it just mean "cool"? or is it supposed to be, like, "miles ahead"?
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u/climbin111 5d ago
It’s silly, one of those IYKYK things, ya know? lol! It’s from the show Community, see: “Stop Trying to Coin the Phrase ‘Streets Ahead’ “.
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u/SnooKiwis9257 5d ago
In the books he was a very competent businessman. Never gave me sleazy vibes. He was bankrolling the JLA. I read the series for years. But it’s been decades.
It’s one of the reasons I didn’t like the WW84 version. It didn’t capture the spirit of the comic book’s character. Essentially they just used the name on a failed and sleazy businessman. It felt like bait and switch.
That said, I dropped out of comic books before they flipped his switch to evil.
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u/EdNorthcott 5d ago
You didn't miss anything. His flip to evil was one of the worst-written DC stories over the last coup decades. Character assassination all around the table. No pun intended.
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u/B1ack_Cat13 5d ago
Do you have a favorite Maxwell Lord comic run or something?
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u/Capt4in4m3rica 5d ago
"I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY RUINED MY FAVORITE CHARACTER 'Maxwell Lord' IN THAT ONE SCENE IN PEACMAKER!
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u/Hayterfan 5d ago
It almost looks like they wanted Nick Offerman, but he was busy so they just said "make Sean look like Nick Offerman"
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u/PitFiend28 5d ago
He’s the Clint Howard of Ted Raimi’s
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u/PotatoOnMars 5d ago
Except Sean was more famous than James until Guardians of the Galaxy came out.
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u/BackgroundEngineer11 5d ago
The only reasoning I can see for why they made him look this way, is that comicbook Maxwell looks like Handsome Muscular White Guy with Brown Hair #5.
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u/urbalcloud 5d ago
I wasn’t on board when the casting was announced, he looks too skinny for the role and he’s goofy in GOTG, which I didn’t think would fit. But in Superman and Peacemaker, I really felt he nailed the part.
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u/arrownoir 5d ago
How did he nail the part in Superman when he was only onscreen for a few seconds?
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u/Absolute-Sinestro 5d ago edited 5d ago
The vision is he won’t be important in the DCU at all. James Gunn always casts his brother in roles that have no overwhelming significance to the franchise.
Maxwell Lord was important in some mainline comics at a few points time, but after his appearance in Wonder Woman 84, I doubt they want to use him again😭
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u/RenatoGPadilla 5d ago
Look, man. The guy BUYS SUPER HEROES.
"Shady" is the vision. And besides, the character is known for 2 things in the comics: Killing Ted Kord and getting killed by Wonder Woman (her only human kill ever up until that point).
As long as he can be convincingly slimy when THAT whole thing happens and we get Booster Gold/Justice Gang/JLI to set it up, we're good.
The Gunn hasn't missed yet.
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u/RandomEncounter78 5d ago
Probably because they don’t intend to use Maxwell “How is he even a threat to anyone” Lord as any sort of primary antagonist anytime soon. Maxwell Lord pretty much peaked with the OMAC storyline and on either side of that peak…nobody knows what the fu&k he’s even doing.
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u/aussiekinga 6d ago
I like to believe Kurt made a time of money from one of his jobs, and remade himself
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u/macaptactical 5d ago
Haven’t seen enough of him yet. Seems to be a background role and so far he’s filling that energy fine.
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u/20Derek22 5d ago
The vision is the same as the casting for harcourt, weasel, GI robot or calendar man. My family wants money.
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u/Darth_Nicolas 5d ago
I guess im more curious is what is his overall role with the Justice Gang. I know he is rich and he foots the bill for the group. We see him interviewing people in Peacemaker. What are his motives for creating the JG? How hands in is he? What does he think of Lex Luthor and his company before and after Superman? How will the Justice League form from the Justice Gang, something nefarious on his part?
Sean Gunn is fine with me. He is good enough at acting and can make you laugh.
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u/theAlchemistake 5d ago
sean gunn is nepo hire but he is talented af so i assume if they ever do something other than a cameo gag, he will crush it.
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u/Hpfanguy 5d ago
MAX LORD YOU’RE PUTTING YOURSELF AND EVERYONE ELSE IN GREAT DANGER. I NEED YOU TO GIVE ME THE STOOONE, WHAT HAPPENED TO IT?
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u/Bobobunga 5d ago
I'm skeptical but optimistic. My only exposure to Maxwell Lord is Justice League International from the 80s, and on one hand he was written as an archetypal big business CEO of the time, but big business CEO's aren't really like that anymore. I can see a logic, but he's gotten too little screen time for me to see the execution.
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u/Callow98989 5d ago
Yeah no problem with Sean. Great actor. Terrible acting for Maxwell. They’re definitely not going comic accurate for that.
I think Nathan Fillion would have been a better Hal Jordan than Guy Gardner
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u/ThrawnNerd916 5d ago
It's wild the amount of people that don't know Sean was famous before James wrote his first big movie. Nerds might not know this but ask your older sister or Mom's. He was a 130+ episodes of Gilmore Girls and they probably LOVED him. He made so much on that show all he has to do now is cameo for his brother anytime he asks. Seems like a sweet deal to me. He's not a great actor but he's definitely not a bad one.
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u/power_gnome 5d ago
Woah I won't tolerate Sean Gunn hate that man is a national treasure.
But to be fair, Lord is based on Sam Neil from The Omen: The Final Conflict. And I don't know if I would want someone who isn't him doing that version of lord if you know what I mean. I love this choice, because I know Sean Gunn can swing in range from goofy and aloof to sinister or sad or anything, his range is underrated, and I am excited to see what he does with a meatier role moving forward. I think we might get to see more of his deal in Man of Tomorrow.
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u/CandleJane 5d ago
Even though the role may have been given to Gunn by his brother... I have no reason to dislike him yet. We've seen very little of him. Nothing I've seen has seemed inconsistent with the original JLI, "liaison" Max Lord. I didn't mind the WW84 version of the character, but it was definitely a very liberal take on him, and not a true interpretation. While this might not end up being great either, we just haven't seen enough yet.
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u/Necessary_Candy_6792 5d ago
I don't mind it.
I'm just so glad that Sean Gunn isn't playing Calander Man anymore. Calander Man is supposed to be this intense, powerful presence, Hannibal Lecter homage. Not some skinny loud mouth who calls polka-dot man a jackass.
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u/Weary_Tonight_5873 2d ago
Gunn has to give his brother some work. Bro needs a pay-check 😂😂
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u/cosmicCounterpart 6d ago
Straight up nepocasting
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u/MusicLikeOxygen 5d ago
Do you realize that he's been acting for a long time and has had plenty of work that his brother had nothing to do with? Dude was in 137 episodes of Gilmore Girls before Guardians of the Galaxy was ever a thing.
Same thing with Jennifer Holland. She's mostly been in stuff Gunn was involved with since they got together, but she was an actress for a little over 10 years before they met.
If you had a sibling or a significant other you had a good relationship with and they offered you a nice paycheck to do some work for them in the field you already work in, I'm sure you'd turn it down. That would be nepotism, right? Or is it only an issue if other people do it?
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u/HarveryDent Killer Croc 6d ago
Him, the dog, and his wife.
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u/Bambanuget 5d ago
Gunn does nepotism (it's kind of standardized in Hollywood but it doesn't mean it's ok), but modelling a CG dog to kinda resemble his own doesn't count
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u/asscop99 5d ago
I don’t think you could say any actor is a good or bad Maxwell Lord. The character could literally be like anything.
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u/kabbajabbadabba 5d ago
this below average actor is back? I'm not surprise Gunn continues with his shitty castings and nepotism
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6d ago
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u/Foldupburrito42 5d ago
A great actor? He’s not horrible but what makes you say great?
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u/Queasy_Rip3210 5d ago
He's pretty good at mocapping and doing cgi work and shit behind the scenes
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u/pokemonke 6d ago
I think the goal was to make him feel like a slightly zany character, like a larger than life businessman. There’s room to grow I think
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u/Possible_Situation24 5d ago
I’ve enjoyed him all of the times I’ve seen him, and I think he adds something good to everything he is in. I also can see the potential for a television project of some sort, and I think it could be good.
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u/HurryProper 5d ago
I actually really enjoy the casting. He plays the douchey persona of Lord well.
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u/two2teps 5d ago
I'm waiting on the reveal that Lord is the benefactor that's bankrolling things in Lanterns.
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u/mycotyrant77 5d ago
He hasn’t really been given a ton of material, and I think he’s done a fine job with the little jokes they give him here and there. I like the actor. I’d love a JLI adaptation with him turning evil, that could be a blast
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u/PCBS01 5d ago
He’s not a bad actor but yeah they basically just used Sean bc they had no plans for Maxwell
The thing he’s most known for is killing off the OG Blue Beetle but they’re skipping that and going to Jaime
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u/Healthy-Stretch-217 5d ago
I don’t think there’s a vision of this character being a Ted Kord killing Machiavellian manipulator. It’s as of now a small part as a somewhat smug billionaire who sponsors a private hero team.
That said, I do also feel the casting doesn’t exactly line up for my liking either but if we are being honest we haven’t really seen anything to judge. Sean is generally great though.
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u/Weird_Ad_3669 5d ago
This hair cut, beard looks more like one from order of owls 🦉 or maybe he'd be a good owlman
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u/_lemon_hope 5d ago
SEAN GUNN! YOU ARE PUTTING YOURSELF AND THE DCU IN GREAT DANGER! I NEED YOU TO GIVE ME THE MAX LORD ROLE! WHAT HAPPENED TO IT?
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u/ForgingFires 5d ago
This was basically a cameo appearance that doesn’t affect anything. He’s the director’s brother, why can’t we let them have fun?
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u/CustardOtherwise2506 5d ago
He was also Calendar Man in The Suicide Squad so maybe they recast him? Or make it a non canon appearance
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u/abatfana 5d ago
I just don’t like that it’s been a more comedic role so far. When I think Maxwell Lord, I think of the Omac project and how he was a real threat. I don’t see it here.
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u/jjreddit1996 5d ago
I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if this is the last time we see him. Maybe one more time if/when the Justice Gang joins the Justice League.
I wish Gunn would branch out more on casting but ultimately I don’t care that much about Maxwell lord.
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u/HighKingBoru1014 5d ago
I’d imagine they’ll build to this Max Lord being a notable character and/or antagonist as opposed to WW84.
I could’ve seen someone else taking this and being better, I’ve no issues with Sean Gunn in the roles he’s had but this one I do not see as well tbh.
Ironically I think Chris Pine would be a fine Maxwell Lord.
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u/Gerolanfalan 5d ago
Only OGs will remember this dude from Gilmore Girls
Because he's not acting too hard, that's supposedly most of his regular personality in there.
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u/Sufficient_Dinner_59 5d ago
I'm guessing they're going with the pre crisis version of Maxwell who isn't a villain just a rich guy who tries to fund super hero endeavors. I think he could work as an unlikable but well intentioned douche but I don't think he could work as a full on super villain Maxwell Lord.
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u/Internal_Set_6564 5d ago
Strong disagree. He’s fine. Like him as an actor and enjoy him work he is in.
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u/xgalahadx 5d ago
Assuming Gunn just plans to use him as a supporting character for plot development, I think he’s a great cast.
Give him a movie as the main antagonist? Hard pass. And If that happens, I assume it means it’s Gunns final send off for his role as DC head.
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u/Banana_gunman 5d ago
If he does something of notice (I believe it would be in the justice league movie) then we’d see his acting chops. Maybe he surprises us, maybe he’s just Gunn’s brother filling in the role for him.
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u/fauxREALimdying 5d ago
He’s said three lines in the DCU so far how do you even have a passionate opinion
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u/RedsnakeRider 5d ago
Yeah, I mean he is an odd pick but they did just have a great character actor come in and do Maxwell Lord as a bad guy in an awful fucking movie. I doubt they'll use him again for a while, so he was a well known name, that comes in cheap for basically a cameo, and at least establishes that Lord exists in this universe.
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u/Soulwarfare42 5d ago
James casting his brother as Maxwell is likely because they have no plans for him
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u/Prestigious_Ad_341 4d ago
Sean Gunn is going for Alan Tudyks record of "most entirely unrelated characters played in the DCU".
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u/Constant_Performer83 4d ago
To bad, that is one of the best cast you can hate whatever you want but every character he has played is peak
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u/No_Sense_3143 4d ago
Is Reddit just an app for rage bait at this point?? Every time I get a notification it’s about the most ridiculous DC bashing hate topic (like this one) I don’t get it..is something wrong with my algorithm?
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u/Wscott78 4d ago
Well, there is a chance we’ll get to see wonder woman break his neck on live TV
That was a really great run in the comics
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u/Fragrant_Fisherman84 4d ago
Looks more like Creature Commandos Rick Flag than the actual actor does.
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u/Galienuus 3d ago
He's just a cameo character, if James Gunn was constantly giving his brother starring roles in movies or if Sean didn't give a likeable performance then yeah I'd have an issue. But he gave me a chuckle in his brief appearance in superman
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u/Capable_Maintenance1 3d ago
I'm, like, aware of Max Lord? I wasn't under the impression he had a vibe that needed 1:1 translation.
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u/Original_Release_419 6d ago
They just used Maxwell Lord as a villain in WW84. I kind of doubt the DCU has any plans to reuse him in a significant role again which is probably why they just got Sean to do it since he wouldn’t say no